thus
assured, seated himself upon the very edge of the precipice, overlooking
the gorge into which the waters were precipitated, while Clara, without
invitation, sat down by his side.

CHAPTER TEN.

STRAYED FROM THE TRACK.

The ravine, below the spot where the Indian and negro had seated
themselves, was covered with a luxuriant vegetation--plants and trees of
tropical growth so thickly standing over the ground that the rays of the
sun could not have penetrated through the umbrageous foliage.
Notwithstanding this abundance of vegetation, if the two gold-seekers
had not been so absorbed in their designs, they might have seen below
them the figure of a man, who was standing at the bottom of the cascade,
directly under their feet.

This man, who had just arrived on the spot, and who appeared to be
regarding the waterfall with looks of curiosity and admiration, was no
other than Rafael Tres-Villas, Captain of the Queen's Dragoons.

It is necessary to explain how Don Rafael had come to be found in this
wild spot, altogether away from the path which he should have followed
to the hacienda Las Palmas. Accident, not design, had conducted him to
the bottom of the cascade.

On parting from the student of theology, who, recalling the classic
scenes of his Odyssey, had mistaken him for a man-eater--a Lestrygon--
the dragoon captain, without searching any longer for an explanation of
the odd circumstances observed along the way, at once stretched his
horse into a gallop. The animal required no propulsion of the spur.
His instinct enabled him to scent the proximity of a stable; and he
responded to the wishes of his rider by galloping swiftly forward.

Unfortunately the Captain, though a Creole or native Mexican, was
entirely unacquainted with this part of the country. He had been born
in it, as already hinted; but at a very early age had been taken to
reside in the capital; and since then had never revisited the place of
his nativity. He was consequently ignorant of the road leading to the
paternal hacienda Del Valle--as also to that of Las Palmas--for both
were one.

He had not ridden many miles when he arrived at a point where the road
forked into two separate paths. Both however continued on, running at
no great distance from each other.

Not knowing which he should take, and having met no human being that
could direct him, the Captain left the choice to his horse.

The animal, that was no doubt suffering more